Plating fixture



June 19, 1934. P, P. HALE 1,963,363

PLATING FIXTURE Filed Jan. 7, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l y 1, I. i 1|'lll/IIIA 7 lll/gill!! a IVTTI' 10 ZO L# 'L INVEN-roR I .4 Z 4 Z5 PhilipPM@ ATTORNEYS P. P. HALE PLATING FIXTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 19, 1934.

Filed Jan. 7, 1932 INVENTOR Patented June 19,A 1934 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE PLATING FIXTURE Application January 7, 1932, Serial No; 585,182

Claims. (Cl. 2044-5) My invention relates to elctroplating and moreparticularly to xtures for supporting the articles to be plated in anelectrolyte.

- The main object of my invention is to provide means for facilitatingthe electroplating of a plurality of diiferent articles without anindividual fixture for each article.

Another object is toprovide a fixture of this A type wherein theinsulators are free from attack l0 by the electrolyte.

Objects relating to details and economies of my invention will appearfrom the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed outin the claims. Y

A structure which is. a preferred embodiment oi my invention isillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary vertical section illustrating a fixtureembodying my invention-in use.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section taken on a line corresponding tolille 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on a lille corresponding to line3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on a line corresponding to line 4 4of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. l, illustrating a modification of thefixture, and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged horizontal section on a line corresponding to line6-6 of Fig. 5.

Numeral 1 indicates a negative bus bar while numeral 2 indicates apositive bus bar. The bus bars are disposed in a horizontal plane and inspaced relation to each other above the tank 3 containing theelectrolyte 4, the upper surface of '.35 which is indicated by numeral5.

Myimproved article-supporting fixture 6 con sists of a cathode hanger 7which depends from the negative bus bar 1 into and terminates within theelectrolyte 4; The anode hanger 8 similarly depends from the positivebus bar 2 but terminates above the surface 5 of the electrolyte 4, itbeing relatively short as compared to the cathode hanger 7. y

The anode hanger 8 is provided with a plate 9 '45 of insulating materialwhich depends therefrom and terminates above the surface of theelectrolyte for supporting the strap 10 of conducting material whichdepends therefrom into and terminates within the electrolyte atA aboutthe same level as the end of the cathode hanger 7. The strap 10 issecured to the insulator 9 by rivets 11 in spaced relation to the lowerend of the anode hanger 8, as clearly illustrated by Fig. 2.

The cathode hanger 7 is similarly provided with a laterally extendingplate 12 of non-conducting material which is fixed thereto by the rivets13. The insulator 12 is provided for connecting the upper cross bar 14to, but insulated from, the cathode hanger 7. The cross member 14 is ofconducting material and is connected at one end to the insulator 12 byrivets 15 in spaced relation to the cathode hanger 7 and at the otherend to the anode hanger 8 by rivets 16 which also extend through andsecure the insulator 9 thereto. Bolts, screws, clamps, or the like mayof course be used in lieu of rivets.

The lower ends of the metal strap` 10 and the cathode hanger 7 areprovided with a lower cross member or cathodeholder 17 which isdetachably secured thereto by bolts 18. The lower cross member orcathode holder 17 is o f metal or other conducting material and isprovided with an oiset 19 near the center thereof for coaction with thestrap 10. The clamping member 20 is secured to the cross member 17 bybolts 22. 75

The flattened lower end 23 of the cathode 24 is removably clamped inplace on the lower cross member 17 by the clamping member 20 and bolts22, the cathode 24 extending upwardly from the cross member. It will beappreciated that a plurality of cathodes may b'e clamped veryconveniently to the cathode holder at different distances apart, and thedevice may be used over and over again for different cathodes of varyingshapes and sizes.

'I'he anode 25 of cylindrical form is disposed in concentric relation4to the cathode 24 and is supported by the metal hanger strap 26 whichis detachably secured to the upper cross member by the bolt 27. Theanode hanger strap 26 is provided with an offset'29 therein forpositioning the anode 25 directly above the lower cross member 17 asillustrated.

The anode 25 may be of any desired shape such as square, flat,elliptical, or the like, depending upon the cathode, and the anodes maybe secured to the upper cross member in any suitable manner and by anyconvenient means.

The hangers, straps, and cross members are provided with a plurality ofbolt holes Vfor facilitating the positioning of the parts of the fixtureand the anode and cathode relative to each other. With this arrangement,a plurality of anodes and cathodes of varying shapes and sizes may besupported by the device in the same or different plating operations. Theflxture'is of standard construction, yet it is adaptable with no or onlyslight changes to universal application. 'Ihe parts being standard maybe economically renewed from stock, required.

From the description above, it will be apparent to those skilled in theart that the anode 25, the

-cathode 24, and the lower cross member 17 are not only readilyinterchangeable with other similar parts, but are adaptable to supportarticles of dif-l insulators were immersed in the electrolyte they wereattacked by the acid and the xture became loose, resulting in inaccuratework.

The cathode, of course, constitutes the article.

to be electroplated, and with my improved xture the lower supportingmember 17 is adapted to support diierent articles, and the lower crossmember 17 itself is readily interchangeable with other cross memberswhich are adapted to be supported by the lower ends of the cathodehanger 7 and the metal hanger strap 10.

'Referring to Figs.`5 and 6, the cathode hanger 25 30 extends down intothe electrolyte 31 and is provided with a plurality or" holes 32 forattaching cathode supports, such as 33 by bolt 34. The support 33 holdsthe cathode 35 in proper position relative to the lead anode 36 which issecured to the strap 37 by solder. 'I'he upper cross bar 38 is providedwith a series of spaced holes 40 for receiving the bolt 42. The crossbar 38 unites the cathode hanger 30 and the anode hanger 43 to form arigid plating fixture, which may be used as many times as desired fordifferent shapes and sizes of work, and for a plurality .of anodes andcathodes at the same time.

In all cases, itis not essential that the anodes and cathodes be securedto the holders, as described, because if desired the anodes and/orcathodes maybe reversed or interchanged relative Vto the holders withoutaffecting the invention.

While I prefer to-use fiber or bakelite for the insulating members, andcopper for the conducting members of my fixture, it is of course to beunderstood that any conducting material and any insulating material of4suiiicient strength to insure against breakage may be used fortheseparts.

It is obvious that various changes and modications `may be made in thedetails of 'construction and design ofthe above specifically describedembodiments of my invention without departing from the spirit thereof,such changes and modications being restricted only by the scope of thefollowing claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A xture comprising a cathode hanger depending from a negative bus barinto and adapted to terminate within an electrolyte, an anode hangerdepending from a positive bus bar and adapted to terminate above anelectrolyte, a plate of insulating material xed to and depending fromsaid anode hanger and adapted to terminate above an electrolyte, a strapof conducting material fixed to and depending from said plate ofinsulating material into and adapted to terminate within an electrolyte,a plate of insulating material xed to and extending laterally from saidcathode hanger and adapted to be above an electrolyte, an upper crossmember of conducting material xed to said last named plate of insulatingmaterial arid said anode hanger and adapted to be above an electrolyte,a lower cross member of conducting material detachably secured to thedepending ends of said cathode hanger and strap, an anode'detachablysecured to and adapted to depend from said upper cross member into anelectrolyte, and a cathode detachably secured to said lower crossmemberfor coacting with said anode through an electrolyte.

2. An article supporting fixture comprising cathode and anode hangersdepending from bus bars, an upper cross member of conducting materialsecured to said hangers and adapted to be above an electrolyte, meansinsulating said upper cross member from said cathode hanger above anelectrolyte, an anode adapted to depend from anode hanger and adapted tobe above an electrolyte, a lower cross member of conducting materialsecured to the lower ends of said cathode hanger and said strap .andadapted to be Within an electrolyte and removable forinterchangeability, and a cathode extending from one of said cathodemembers for coaction with said anode and removably clamped in place.

3. In a plating fixture, the combination with a pair of spaced anode andcathode hangers, of a removable anode holder rigidly secured to saidhangers and having a plurality of spaced holes for connecting anodesthereto, means insulating said anode holder from said cathode hanger,and a removable cathode holder rigidly secured to said cathode hangerand having a plurality of spaced holes for connecting cathods thereto.A

4. In a plating xture, the combination with a pair of spaced anode andcathode hangers, of a removable cross piece rigidly secured to and unit-'ing said hangers, means insulating said cross piece from said cathodehanger, said cross piece having a plurality of spaced holes, a removableanode holder rigidly secured to said cross piece in one of said holesfor depending into an electrolyte, and a removable cathode holderrigidly secured to said cathode hangerfor depending into theelectrolyte, said holders having spaced holes for securing anodes andcathodes thereto in accurate position relative to each other.

5. In a plating fixture, the combination with a pair of spaced anode andcathode hangers, of a removable cross piece rigidly secured to anduniting said hangers, means insulating said cross piece from saidcathode hanger, a removable anode holder rigidly secured to said crosspiece for depending into an electrolyte, and a removable cathode holderrigidly secured to said cathode hanger for depending into theelectrolyte, said holders having spaced holes for securing anodes andcathodes thereto in accurate position relative to each other.

PHILIP P. HALE.

